Thousands of college-age demonstrators arrive at the Angel of Independence monument at the end of a march to protest a possible return of the old ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, PRI, Saturday, May 19, 2012. PRI presidential candidate Enrique Pena Nieto leads in polls ahead of the July 1 elections. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Mexico is about five weeks from a presidential election in which many believe that nation will vote in favor of putting Yarrington’s old Institutional Revolutionary Party back in national power (and perhaps dial back on outgoing President Felipe Calderon’s campaign against drug traffickers, which has been anchored in close cooperation with U.S. intelligence and law-enforcement agencies.)

Some say the PRI’s promises to instead focus primarily on crimes that impact everyday citizens is a nod and a wink to major drug traffickers to simply leave the public alone and everything will be fine.

What the new U.S. charges do is remind the public what the PRI was all about and just how it stayed in power for 70 years before it was tossed out two presidencies ago a wave of support for change.

The PRI was seen as wildly corrupt, but it also kept Mexico functioning and did not launch a war against drug cartels that has claimed 50,000 or so lives and turned portions of the country into lawless pockets controlled by warlords.

Some say bringing the PRI back to power will bring back the days when bribes were paid quietly and the bad guys agreed to stay under their rocks and not involve the public in their dealings – with a wink from officials.

That may all be true, but the indictment reminds some: “Remember all that? Do you really want that again? Be careful what you wish for.”

Those who live in Mexico will have to soon decide what seems best.

(UPDATE 2:) Rumors that Yarrington has been charged in the United States, let alone arrested or held under some sort of house arrest are false. He has not been arrested and is not in custody and there is nothing to indicate he has appeared before a federal magistrate judge in Houston.)

(UPDATE 1 🙂 Here is a portion of what prosecutors said in their announcement of the charges:

“A Mexican businessman from Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico, has been indicted as a result of the efforts of a multi-agency Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, United States Attorneys Kenneth Magidson and Robert Pitman of the Southern and Western Districts of Texas, respectively, announced today. The indictment, returned late this afternoon in Brownsville, Texas, stems from a long-term investigation targeting alleged money laundering activities inside the United States.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment in targeting not only the drug cartels but those who allegedly provide support and service to them,” said Magidson. “This case is another example of our cooperation with various law enforcement agencies and other U.S. Attorney’s Offices including evidence from the government of Mexico in charging those who seek to circumvent the laws of the United States.”

Fernando Alejandro Cano Martinez, 55, of Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico, is charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments since on or about Jan. 1, 1998. The indictment alleges Cano and others conspired to use an array of corporate entities they formed in Texas to launder portions of bribes paid by the Gulf Cartel to high level elected officials and candidates for such elected office in Tamaulipas. Millions of dollars of assets, primarily Texas real estate, were allegedly acquired in the scheme.

Cano is also accused of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. According to the indictment, Cano and others also engaged in a separate conspiracy in the acquisition of loans from financial institutions by submitting false financial information to the banks in order to obtain the loans.

Cano is currently a fugitive and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at (956) 542-7831 or (956) 542-5811; Radio: 145*4*41047; Desde Mexico: 001-800-010-5237.

At the same time the indictment against Cano was returned today, civil actions were filed by United States Attorney’s Offices in the Southern and Western Districts of Texas. In Corpus Christi, Texas, a civil complaint was filed regarding real property allegedly owned by Tomas Jesus Yarrington Ruvalcaba. Yarrington was the former mayor of Matamoros, former governor of Tamaulipas and former presidential candidate for Mexico. In the complaint, it is alleged that Yarrington used illicit proceeds to purchase a condominium located in South Padre Island, Texas, using a third party to conduct the $450,000 transaction and hold title.

In San Antonio, the United States Attorney’s Office is filing a civil action regarding a single property, purchased in 2006 for approximately $6.6 million, that was allegedly obtained with illicit funds by Yarrington, Cano and others.

This case is being prosecuted in the Southern District of Texas by Assistant United States Attorneys Charlie Lewis, Jody Young and Julie K. Hampton, and in the Western District of Texas by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Nelda Valadez.”